The North Bergen Police Department will host the “National Night Out Against Crime 2012.” National Night Out is an event when the police and community come together to take a stand against crime and drugs. This year’s “Night Out Against Crime” block parties will occur on Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. at:

1) Seventh Street and Grand Avenue

2) 6121 Grand Ave. (Housing Authority)

3) Broadway and 74th Street

Food, music, fun and giveaways will be available. Come out and take a stand against crime by showing your community involvement by attending this event.

Read to Achieve program coming

Knicks Read to Achieve, a summer reading program presented by Kia Motors, will take place at North Bergen Public Library on Aug. 7 at 11 a.m. There will be book giveaways, raffles, t-shirts and autographs. Former New York Knicks star, John Starks, will attend.

For more information go to www.powertolearn.com.

Summer Concert Series scheduled

Guttenberg’s Summer Concert Series continues on Wednesday, Aug. 22, with “The Infernos” performing Doo Woop to Disco. The entertainment begins at 5 p.m. with the main event taking place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. between 71st and 70t streets on Boulevard East.

The Summer Concert Series continues through Wednesday, Aug. 29.

‘Fame Jr.,’ The Musical

On Friday, Aug. 24 and Saturday, Aug. 25 North Bergen Public Library will host the musical “Fame Jr.” in the North Bergen High School Auditorium, 7414 Kennedy Blvd., 7 p.m. Admission is free to the public.

Take a pontoon tour around the Meadowlands

The NJMC Pontoon Boat Tours began on Aug. 2 and will continue on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10 at 5 p.m. Another Poontoon Boat Tour is scheduled for Aug. 11 at 8:30 a.m.

For $15 per person, guests can get an up-close view of the Meadowlands District’s spectacular scenic beauty and wildlife with a two-hour guided pontoon boat cruise of the Hackensack River and its surrounding marshes. Experienced NJMC staff will discuss the region’s human and environmental history and point out birds and other wildlife along the way. Pontoon boat cruises depart from river Barge Park, 260 Outwater Lane, Carlstadt. The tour is for ages 10 and up.

Pre-registration is required. For directions, a complete schedule and to register visit www.njmeadowlands.gov or call (201) 460-4640.

Upcoming New Jersey Meadowlands Commission events

The First-Sunday-of-the Month Nature Walk is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 5 with the NJMC and BCAS. This free two-hour guided nature walk starts outside the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, and starts at 10 a.m. You’ll walk around the square-mile park, looking for migrating shorebirds, butterflies and various egrets and herons.

The walk is sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute updates and weather advisories. Participants must sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To RSVP, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or call (201) 230-4983.

The fourth annual Kevin Karlson Shorebird Day with the NJMC and BCAS is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 11 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Spend the day with the noted shorebird expert and nature photographer Kevin Karlson.

Karlson will lead 90-minute bird walks at 8:15 and 10:15 a.m. and present a talk on “Tips on Becoming a Better Birder” at 12:45 p.m. At 1:45 p.m. Kevin will discuss and show images from his latest books. At 2:30 p.m., he and another noted photographer, Lloyd Spitalnik, will lead an hour-long wildlife photography workshop. All events are free, but participants must sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To RSVP, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or call (201) 230-4983.

Palisades Medical Center’s Casino Night set for Aug. 23

On Aug. 23, Waterside Restaurant in North Bergen will create an event for all municipalities in Hudson and Bergen Counties. Waterside will be transformed into a Las Vegas-style casino for Palisades Medical Center’s sixth Annual Casino Night. The event will begin with dinner from 6 to 7 p.m. Gambling will take place from 7 to 10:30 p.m. which will be followed by the drawing of a Super 50-50 and other raffle prizes.

Casino Night admission is $100 per person and includes a buffet dinner (beer, wine and soda) and $150 in casino chips for guests. The guests can try to tempt Lady Luck at either Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, Poker, Craps, Roulette and much more. Additional chips can also be purchased throughout the evening. Guests will be able to redeem chips at the end of the event for raffle prize tickets.

Casino Night is planned and organized by the Palisades Medical Center’s Auxiliary, a team of dedicated volunteers that works throughout the year to support the Palisades Medical Center Foundation.

For ticket/tickets or more information, please call Denise Whitley at (201) 854-5011. Those interested can also visit www.palisadesmedicalfoundation.org .

Little Miss Schuetzen Park applications available

Applications are available for the 46th annual German-American “Little Miss Schuetzen Park Beauty Pageant” to be held on the occasion of the Oktoberfest-in-August celebration. The pageant will take place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19. Admission is $6 for adults and children get in for free. Funds will be donated to the Fritz Reuter Altenheim Continous Care Retirement Community along with other charities. It is sponsored by the Plattaduetsch Volksfest-Vereen of New York and New Jersey (PVV). Teri Nemeth is the president of the PVV.

Girls of German or part-German extraction who are between the ages of 7 to 12 are eligible. For applications call Co-Chair Mrs. Kathleen Solorzano at (201) 927-0898.

There will be seven winners for this pageant and those chosen will receive a free gown and will ride on the Little Miss Schuetzen Park float in the Steuben Parade which will be held on New York’s Fifth Avenue on Sept. 15. Mrs. Katherine Solorzano and Ellen Gloistein are co-chairs and John R. Lawrora, is the senior chairperson.

Some of the highlights of the Oktoberfest-in-August celebration include target shooting at the Regulation Range in the Senator Lounge in the park; and the Masskrugstemmen competition that will be held on both days. You can try the potato pancakes, bratwurst, hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, coffee and cake in the Senator Lounge. The affair and pageant will be held at Schuetzen Park, 3167 Kennedy Blvd., North Bergen.